


Izuku's Heist

by Wolfkun



Series: Izuku and the Data Ghost [2]
Category: Galerians, Ghost in the Shell (Anime & Manga), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-13 02:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfkun/pseuds/Wolfkun
Summary: Izuku finally has a team in place and is ready to rescue his friend.  Joined by a paramilitary organization that Nezu brought in, Operation: Heist is greenlit.Sequel to Izuku's Ghost.





	1. What box?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RogueDruid (Icarius51)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icarius51/gifts).



> With the permission of the author, I am using the team from Hero Class Civil War by RogueDruid. It is not necessary to read that story to understand this one (why wouldn't you read it?), but this is an alternate universe of those events. It is also the sequel to Izuku's ghost and answers some of the mysteries that shroud the prequel.

**Chapter 1.**

**Five days before Operation: Heist begins.**

 

It was apparent to Mirio that something was happening on campus as the entire training building had been closed and an armed police presence surrounded the building. The lean and muscular blond teenager was not too surprised when All Might pulled him aside; he was currently working at All Might's agency.

 

“Mirio, my boy.  I will be sponsoring a government-sanctioned operation with some first-year students, and I would like to send you; however, it will be your choice, and you will be under the leadership of Izuku Midoriya.”

 

“That's the kid with the strength augmentation quirk that fought at USJ and curb stomped Endeavor’s record in the Class Civil War?” Mirio asked with his ever-present smile.

 

“There will be a text sent out in two hours, you need to show the phone text to your teacher and report to the lower training area.  You will need to give your name to the pair of armed soldiers from the Japanese Defense Force who will direct you to the briefing area,” All Might said. “This is a joint operation with the school, my Hero Agency, and Section 9 of the Japanese Intelligence Bureau.  It may last up to a month, plus you will be sworn in under the Official Secrets Act.”

 

Mirio’s eyes widened, ”And the first years are participating?”

 

“Yes, my boy.  This operation is Mr. Midoriya’s show.”

 

Mirio was glad for the early tip as some of the first-year students looked decidedly off-kilter as they arrived.  The blond third-year student saw Principal Nezu, All Might in his hero form, Aizawa from Class-1A’s homeroom, and an older man in a business suit with a strikingly beautiful violet-haired lady with a military uniform.  Izuku was sitting on the edge of the stage, lightly kicking his feet and greeting people by name with a smile; he looked surprised that everyone had come.

 

“Thank you for coming,”  Izuku said, ”I will introduce you to our guests, and then I have a small story to share about my quirk.  After this point, the Major will swear you into the Japanese Official Secrets Act and discuss the operation; essentially a government-sanctioned heist.”

 

There was an image that flickered to the side, and a slim blond youth appeared; the young teenager was blurred but in a medical cradle, naked except for the thick wires that wrapped around his lower body, filled his mouth, and were inserted up the nose.  It did not look comfortable.  Sinister triple prongs of long needles were aimed at the junction of his neck and shoulder.  Stunned at the appearance, many people recognized the boy as the apparition that had haunted Izuku for much of his life.  The same one who had caused massive destruction at the USJ nearly nine months ago before vanishing.

 

 _I am Rion Steiner._ The words sounded broken, and with a razor edge, pain shivered through the cold tones.  For the students at the USJ villain attack, they had heard this sharp glass tone when he destroyed the Nomu and killed over eighty villains. _I am the Last Galerian.  I have not much time, so Izuku has agreed to fill in and answer questions._

 

_I was encased just over two hundred years ago in this place.  I do not know where it is that my body was interred.  I have learned to cast my mind into other areas looking for contact; however, a little over a year ago I found a quirkless boy bullied into suicide on the roof of his school._

 

There was a gasp in the crowd, and several eyes widened in shock.  Aizawa narrowed his eyes as the green haired boy fidgeted, looking down.  This moment was not the proudest of Izuku’s life as Rion described.

 

_I watched for a long time before a deal was made with the child.  I approached him as he was ten.  It is easier for me to connect with the quirkless, as quirks were given by the god-machine.  I appeared like this shortly before the school entrance exams, and he had asked ‘how can I help’ without hesitation.  I knew then that I might be able to help him as well._

 

The broken tone was stilted and carried a sense of disappointment more than anything else.  A dangerous undercurrent hidden below Rion’s telepathic thoughts.

 

_Over the next few weeks of training, I helped him grow stronger, training him to carry a gift.  I was friends with Mirai, the younger brother of a thoroughly evil man named Dr. Lem; known now in the Japanese underground crime rings as All for One.  I thought I killed him. However, it was apparently a cybernetic body double.  Mirai had entrusted me with a secret of his own, one which was copied to Izuku._

 

_You should know, Izuku and I had decided, that my friend does not have a strength augmentation; instead, he has the core power process of stockpiling that grows stronger through emanations from one generation to another as it adds each successor’s quirk.  A sacred torch for humanity’s liberty, one might say._

 

On stage, All Might made a wheeze of surprise, struggling with the tale.  It sounded as if Rion gave the quirk, which was not true.  However, he had to admit, a neat explanation for Izuku's abilities coming from seemingly nowhere.  All Might approved, it did mean that Rion knew One for All very well, indeed.

 

Perhaps fortunately, Rion continued.

 

_I have, with permission, taken control of Izuku at certain times for training.  It is a two-way street if consensual, with echoes of my life filtering down.  If not consensual… I usually liquify the brain until the dissolved matter runs out of the ears._

 

Several faces blanched.  It did account for some villain deaths in the USJ facility’s attack.

 

_Unlike Izuku, I can use One for All at a hundred percent in his body.  It is why he is careful about not showing his potential strength.  The power is not a quirk, it cannot be stolen, erased, negated, or compelled.  Derived from my blood, it was a gift to Mirai from a friend that his older brother Dr. Lem tried to pervert by forcing a transfer quirk to him._

 

_I made a deal that when Izuku can safely use twenty percent of the output, he would try and rescue me from these medical experiments.  This facility of robotic medical programs is attempting to recreate One for All.  I will not allow this.  I can not move or resist their operations much, but the applications are limited as I defeated the god-machine of Michelangelo City.  It was the Galerian Ash who pushed quirks into society, along with a curse that powerful quirks breed arrogance and require a higher strength of will to resist the negative feelings.  Ash believed humanity would destroy itself as villains would fall to the curse and victimize instead of save.  Izuku showed me that heroes have also fallen to the curse as their will was insufficient._

 

_As soon as the facility is breached, these machines will attempt to kill me.  I believe that I can resist for a short time.  At this point, death would be a relief-_

 

Anything more was cut off by a stabbing motion of the needles into his neck.  The vision of the broken boy vanished.

 

“I will not allow him to die.  Without him, I would not be alive.”  Izuku stated the simple truth, one that made his friends’ eyes narrow and some water with empathy.  How close did they come to being left alone by not ever meeting him? 

 

A purple haired mindwasher’s thoughts dwelled instead on an explosive and rude blond.  The boy was not thinking pleasant thoughts.

 

The female major stepped forward and down to stand next to the green haired boy who would act as a leader.

 

“To continue, you will need to agree to the Official Secrets Act.  I will call your name; then you will answer yes or no.  If you choose no you will leave and return to class, there will be no punishment and no ill mark for your choice.”

 

It was Shinsou with the mindwashing quirk who said tiredly, ”Major.  No one will leave, Izuku turned us into a team that will have his back as he has had ours.  Staying with him has proven that we are all valuable heroes.”

 

A boy with a bird’s head, Tokoyami added with a dry tone, ”I assure you, Major.  We will all read the rules, too.” A light chuckle went through the room from the students with a somewhat pained grimace on stage from the teachers.

 

The major asked, ”Does anyone disagree?”

 

No one even looked hesitant.  Nezu felt pride that young Midoriya had turned these students into heroes in all but name.  They would only get better with the years; a force that the villains would reckon.  A symbol might be useful, Nezu thought; but a team of dedicated and loyal heroes?  They would lead the next heroic age.

 

“Very well.  You are at this moment sworn to the Japanese Official Secrets Act.  You will be compensated at ten thousand US dollars, untraced, on completion of the mission if you have your provisional license, seven thousand if you do not; if you do not have your provisional license now, you will have it by the end of the mission.  You will have recommendations from All Might’s agency upon completion, and no reputable agency will ask for details as you cannot legally give information.  Is this understood?”

 

The students looked surprised.  That was...  a lot more than they expected.

 

Nezu added, ”This Operation will substitute for assigned work at the school, graded by your performance.  If you die, you failed.” 

 

To his sly amusement, he saw both the dark-haired boy, Awase, and the pink haired girl with horns, Mina, look highly interested in getting out of taking tests.  Truthfully, based on this performance; they might see far less written tests and more practical tests in the future.  Not that the students needed to know.

 

The major nodded, ”Izuku-kun here will have the operational lead as he has a connection with Rion.  In the field, he has full authority, including over the military sections attached to your transports.”

 

For most of the students, they looked at the fidgeting green haired boy with astonishment.  Military sections?

 

“Over the next few days, you will be trained here.  You will not refer to us by name, nor learn our names.  I believe some of you read fanfiction?"

 

Cautious head nods at the non-sequitur.

 

"If the author was to include us in the tags, we would have to kill him," her smile was pleasant and creepy.  The un-named major continued, "I will give you the rest of today to gather your things and say goodbye.  This is a dangerous mission, but Izuku has sworn to us that all of you can rescue Rion without casualties.”

 

The also unnamed old man on the stage spoke for the first time and said drily, ”I saw your Civil War exercise and am inclined to believe him.  You have all shown the ability to think outside the box.  I doubt some of you even think there is a box.”

 

“Thank you, Chief,” the major paused with a smile, her voice gentled as she added, ”Rion saved humanity from nuclear devastation two-hundred years ago.  As soon as the principal brought this to our attention, Chief authorized a heist.  Rion is being kept a thousand meters underwater at an old military base commissioned by Michelangelo City.  In five days, you will board a pair of Leviathon-class submarines for a quick theft and assault on the facility.” 

 

She nodded to an orange haired support course student, ”I have heard, Hatsumi-san, good things about your creative designs.”

 

At this, the mentioned girl smiled wide at the thought of defense contract hero support.

 

Izuku spoke, ”Thank you for coming.  I did not think all of you would.  Yet, we are a proper hero team this time.”

 

Shinsou asked, ”What about your friends; Uravity, Shoto and Ingenium?” The perpetually tired boy referred to their hero names.

 

Izuku looked at all of them fiercely, reminding them of when he wore the name Kingpin, ”You _chose_ me.” 

 

It was not something Izuku took lightly or would ever forget.

 


	2. The teachers have reservations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some answers to Rion' story.

**Chapter Two**

 

Shouta Aizawa, known to the public as the pro hero Eraserhead, sighed as he watched Izuku divide the students into groups for training.  It was a good idea to have teams that would be malleable, yet semi-permanent.  The dark-haired hero had to admit that the problem child was in his element planning.  This operation had many moving parts, and so Izuku had organized the group into squads.

 

The Aces were the four students leading the operation, Izuku and his three friends: Shinsou, Nieto, and Mezo.  From what Aizawa had heard, the problem child would be spearheading the attack.  The heroic teacher had seen a glimpse of the base plans and the facility was large and half-inside a seamount.

 

The other student teams, Jokers – and weren’t they named aptly, Aizawa thought sourly – Queens, Jacks, and Twos were going to be supporting the spearhead.  All Might, Mirio, and himself would be aiding where it was needed.  The teacher smiled slightly at the memory of Izuku’s red face as All Might had teased him about giving orders.  In fact, while Izuku was operation lead; the black ops military group, how had Nezu met these people part of him wanted to know (and part was afraid to ask his crazy boss), the submarine crews, and the teachers were not in the command structure.  Izuku was only in charge, truthfully, because of the connection he had with the blond brat.

 

There was also a minor issue which most students hadn’t figured out yet, that because this mission did not officially exist, they were paying their training and supplies.  That was the reason for the largesse in cash as the students would need about a third to cover their expenses.  Izuku was not focused on the money, and he did not think the others would care much, though their shocked expressions when the more volatile would figure it out would doubtless be delightful to the principal.

 

“Shouta,” Toshinori, known as All Might to pretty much the world, was in disguise as the Agency representative; a tall, gaunt blond who looked sickly and had no quirk.

 

“You’ve been quiet, since yesterday,” Toshinori said, the man watched Izuku and Shinsou lightly spar while discussing something about the plans.  The man guessed what was bothering his friend.  While Toshinori was upset about the mentioned suicide, he guessed Shouta was thinking about the other thing.

 

“Did you know he only got his quirk a few weeks before testing at Yuuei?” The man thought back to how willing he was to throw out Izuku without knowing all of the facts involved.

 

Toshinori nodded slowly; he’d thought this might be the problem, “Yes.  I told Nezu, and we agreed to keep it secret.” 

There were still aspects of Rion’s story that Toshinori wanted answers to.  The history with All for One was prominent.

 

The older man who oversaw the military operations entered with Nezu.  Without preamble, he spoke immediately, “The Major has a cyberdeck that has records of Rion in Michelangelo City that were preserved.  They are incomplete, however many of the answers you seek are likely there.”

 

Both teachers nodded.  They followed the bear-mouse principle and the older gentleman through the vast old factory halls.  It had been a surprise to the students that a bus trip had the unexpected destination of an abandoned factory and a motel strip dive that was mostly safe, cheap, and unassuming.  Shouta had checked the guest list discreetly, and the guests were the exact numbers of soldiers and naval crew; plus, the hero had to admire the military personnel’s discipline.  He had been concerned about hazing or the soldiers reacting poorly to the more boisterous of the students, the soldiers' identity of the Japanese Special Maritime Self Defense Force First Brigade he suspected.  Instead, the Brigade acted with the utmost professionalism and helped focus the students through serving as an exemplary model.

 

The room they entered had the Major leaning against a wall.  A bank of computers along the east wall was newly installed.  She gestured them to sit.

 

“Are you familiar with cyberdeck interactivity?” The major asked.

 

Shouta could appreciate getting straight to the point without useless greetings.

 

“Slightly,” Toshinori said, “though I do not have a cyberjack to connect.”

 

The Chief smiled slightly, “We can have you connect through a neural pathway in your eyes.  It is not popularly known as a method.”  In other words, it was a secret technology.

 

The Major nodded, “You will see and hear in fragments of memory as if you were Rion; Izuku-kun,” Shouta raised an eyebrow at the affectionate address, “has said this would be the best way to understand the events of two hundred years ago.  With that said, parts of what we can see are disconcerting, and as the record is incomplete, I am unsure of the veracity of the entirety.  There are also some disturbing implications about quirks.”

 

“Will the students see this?”  Toshinori asked, having reservations about them seeing disturbing images.  From what he knew, once connected there was no way out until the end.

 

“No.  Izuku-kun said he did not need to and the students do not need to see Rion’s life,” the Major answered.

 

Nezu smiled, “I have seen it.  There were a great many questions answered.  A few new ones created too.  I believe the major hacked the Michelangelo City archives to gather the information.”

 

Their boss’ smile reassured neither Shouta nor Toshinori.  No one disputed the claim.  Shouta considered and shrugged; he didn’t particularly care how the information was obtained.

 

“Plug me in,” Shouta said, “I would like to see about this brat.”

 

That brought smiles as Shouta and Toshinori sat and looked into the visor fitted to them with earphones.

 

Darkness, silence.  Shouta calmed himself; he had not expected this as the first ‘memory.’  Analytical, he wanted to know how Rion’s memories were recorded in the archives.

 

 _Rion._   A girl’s voice.  _Rion.  They are coming for me._

 

 _Rion.  I’m scared._   The girl’s voice was soft.  A name floated to the surface, Lillia.

 

Eyes opened to see two large needles inert something into him.  Shouta felt himself jerk in surprise, heat running through him.  Clinically, he felt this was more real than the virtual reality he had expected.

 

His mind unlocked the cuffs that locked him down; telekinesis, Shouta’s mind supplied.  Rion stood, the cabinet allowed for access to clothes: rust red shorts, a white shirt with black sleeves, and a simple pair of white sneakers; the clothes Rion had worn when he appeared at the USJ.  No, Shouta corrected, the sneakers had been red.

 

“Get back to your restraints,” the scientist beyond the door asked.  Fearful, “I just follow orders.”

 

The scientist in front of clutched his head and then fell with his brain liquefied.  Shouta felt information supplied, Dr. Lem, Chief Scientist for Dorothy would know who he was.  Maybe who the girl was.  The pro hero understood this was information that Rion obtained from the mind of the scientist, a violent form of telepathy.  Shouta was uncertain whether Rion meant to kill or not.  The pro hero wished he could feel the emotions too.

 

A pair of security guards blocked the way, armed with crackling stun sticks.  They might have said something; it was garbled.  Rion glared at the obstacles, and flames rose from the guards who fell screaming.  One tried to reach for the alarm, the boy (escaped medical subject, Shouta now knew) stopped that with more intense flames. 

 

Rion stared into the mirror as if he had never seen his face before.  The boy had picked up a black choker from somewhere, to hide the needle scar marks?

 

An uneasy transition, there were several dead guards on the floor, the hallways splashed with blood as if a mad painter decided to make impressionist art with buckets.  Oh, not red sneakers, Shouta realized, bloody sneakers.  Hand raised, Rion looked through the walls (clairvoyance, Shouta’s mind supplied.  He knew all these abilities as quirks, unsettling that all would be in a single boy).  A hidden passage to the empty hospital floors below.

 

A monitor room with dozens of small monitors, all showing a silhouette, that spoke in a sibilant sinister whisper, “Rion, do you think you can escape?  Return now or face the personal consequences.  Dorothy commands it.”

 

Shouta had the feeling that something was supposed to happen on that command.  Why would this man think Rion would obey Dorothy?  Who exactly was Dorothy?  Heat wrapped Shouta again.  Anger, the pro hero observed, was the heat.  Were Rion’s powers tied to his emotions? Disturbing, if true.

 

A man came out in a business suit with a cane, dapper and reeking of arrogance, “Then I will eliminate you.”

 

The blue light wreathed the man’s head and did nothing; the flames came next.  Dr. Lem bragged as he struck the boy who’s hastily raised shield (telekinetic shell, Shouta cataloged as Rion’s fourth ability) crumpled under the heavy blow.  Shouta was with Rion at shutting the man up; he could hear the villain monologuing.  The flames burned away the skin to reveal the metallic skeleton of a robotic soldier.

 

Holding his head, crying out in pain as white noise leaked out and destroyed everything it touched.  The robot was no different.  It blew apart in a shower of sparks.  A critical nuclear chain reaction, Shouta noted, as blood leaked from Rion's mouth and tears tracked down the face.

 

Another transition, this one jolting and rough.  Glimpses of experiments, infants floated tanks, eyeballs still aware in a thick greenish liquid connected to disembodied brains.  No, Shouta did not want his students to see this.

 

Two names: Albert Steiner, Elsa Steiner.  Father and mother.  Father, a computer programmer; mother, a computer engineer.  Rion Steiner, a gasp of relief at knowing who he was; fourteen-years-old.  Blond, admitted to the hospital, hurt in a car crash.  Parents in a sizeable mansion-like house on the outskirts of Michelangelo City.

 

The boy was in a house.  Glimpses of faded memories.  The father lying on the floor, the mother stuffed into a refrigerator.  A silent house, austere and cold.  No family pictures on the wall, no loving warmth.  How long had they been dead, Shouta wondered?

 

“I killed them, brother, I am Birdman, the strongest of the Galerians.  These were no parents of yours, they did not love you, they sacrificed you,” the tall boy said, he wore coveralls and looked wrong, as if he had not been fully pieced together, “Dorothy loves you.”

 

“What is Galerian?  Who is Dorothy?” Rion questioned.

 

There was a fight instead of answers.  The battle was confusing for Shouta, this Birdman (what kind of name was that?) could teleport and use telekinesis.  There were glimpses of others in black trench coats; they looked wrong.  Rion and Birdman used their mind powers indiscriminately, destroying the house and the trench-coated figures.  Shouta jolted even though the cyberlink with dawning recognition.  Those things were a kind of Naomu, those horrific beastlike monsters in the USJ attack, in the Hosu city attack.

 

Birdman died under a telepathic assault.  It did not look like a pleasant death.

 

Another rough transition.

 

The boy was in a hotel.  Looking for safety.  Sirens and troops were heard outside, people ordered off the streets by unfriendly soldiers.  A glance at the window and in the distance the hospital was burning with flames jutting up into the skyline.  Memories whispered to Rion.

 

Dorothy.  The neo-age computer that ran Michelangelo City was programmed to solve humanity’s wars and lead people into a golden age of star travel and space colonization.  Referred to by the papers of the time as the god-machine, designed with a computer core the size of a city block; capable of self-learning and self-replicating.  It found the solution to peace: exterminate the humans infesting the world order.  The Galerians, it’s children, would be the instruments of destruction.

 

Shouta narrowed his eyes.  There were several more fights, another Galerian downed.  Rainheart?  Rion displayed a fifth power, Shouta noted, raging telekinesis.  It was wild and out of control.  The pro-hero considered how many of Rion’s kills were intentional and how many occurred merely because the adloscent could not control his powers.

 

Shouta paid little attention to the hotel décor, as an underground hero, he recognized that little sleeping was done here; instead, he remembered All Might saying that Naomu were the product of many quirks spliced into a body.  Then modern day Naomu were failed attempts of All for One to create a Galerian.

 

Rion went to his knees, contacting something vast and powerful.  It was a two-way street, and Shouta heard Rion’s father describe placing a virus in both Rion and Lilia, the son and daughter of two chief scientists.  Shouta sighed in regret, why did seemingly good people pressure their children to the point of breaking?  If they treated children like this, why even bother having kids.

 

The hotel was replaced by an octagonal room with chambers, growth cells.  There were names on the plates.  Rainheart.  Birdman.  Rion Steiner.  Galerians.  Grown to obey mother, the god-machine who planned to exterminate humanity.

 

The house had been empty of photos because Rion’s memories were falsified; the boy was a sleeper virus of the scientists who designed the god-machine.  Rion turned to face a boy that looked exactly like him only in black goth clothing.  Cain, Shouta’s feed supplied, mimicking the telepathic link.

 

The fight left Rion damaged, blood stained his clothes, and his energy shield was irreparably cracked.  Cain was lost, unable to cope with the mental assault; the pro-hero felt that Rion was clinging to his sanity by a finger’s width.  The boy wanted to die.  Another unpleasant jolt of connections made.  Rion said he connected with Izuku because of the quirkless nature, but could it be a resonance with Izuku being suicidal- the same as Rion?

 

The god-machine was destroyed in a fight that left Rion’s body broken and dying.  Yet, the god-machine, Dorothy, whispered to the fading boy that she had won.  She had a backup program.  Ash.

 

The major’s calm tone intruded, _records are sparse and incomplete until the fight with Ash.  Ash was three separate computer programs; Anger, sorrow, hatred.  A cybernetic Galerian fused from negative emotions.  Rion trapped him in a computer core somehow, but the damage had been done.  It is not that Rion is so much stronger than humans now, instead people are weaker than in the past._  

 

“The god-machine is dead,” Ash said, he looked like a handsome teenager encased inside a radiation suit without a helmet, “why are you still fighting?  I killed the last remnants of mother myself.  She considered us tools, slaves for her use.”

 

Rion imaged the girl from earlier, dying from radiation exposure, ten years older.  The streets around them were empty, the buildings neglected, and the plants were a withered brown, lining the cracked roads. 

 

Ash ignored the flames that wreathed him, Shouta realized with a jolt that Ash did not know he was in a computer storage space.  Instead, Rion focused on the large numbers above his head; numbers that Ash was unaware Rion could see.  The read-out listed five-zero-one.

 

“Five minutes, Rion, and then there will only be me; I almost have the world’s nuclear arsenal for launch.  Imagine their faces.  The panic in the control centers as I take control of every missile in the world and turn them on their populations.”

 

Shouta felt sweat bead on his brows.  The numbers read four-four-two.  A countdown.

 

Rion did something (Shouta was not certain what, it felt like a mental battle just beyond his perception), and everything froze.  Except for the two Galerians.  Ash looked around the blank white room as the scenery faded.

 

“Ah,” the white-haired teenager was disappointed at the trick, “mother tortured me for a thousand years in a similar space.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Rion said.  Dorothy could speed up localized computer time, it sounded as if she tortured Ash to madness.

 

“I have already won, you know.  I have given humanity, a baby belonging to the chief of Michelangelo’s Reserves, a genetic quirk of power, a sliver of our might,” Ash circled Rion, conversationally, “Mother wanted to cow humanity, make us gods over them,” The numbers were dissolving above, “I believe humanity will rip itself apart with the fragments of our power.  Look at us; we killed each other with our powers.  I have weakened humans' genetic structures, your gift to Mirai will mean nothing.  At best, he will die as half a Galerian.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Rion repeated.  

 

“You cannot win.”

 

Rion stepped forward, and the two froze in a perpetual loop.  A self-referencing logic circuit.

 

The blond duplicated and looked for a long moment at the image of himself and Ash locked in flickering combat.  Then he vanished.  Shouta saw the entire space run a deletion program. It was disconcerting to watch a pair of people fragment and dissolve.

 

A blink as the pro hero returned to reality; yes, he understood Rion better-

 

“Still a brat,” Shouta opinioned.

 

Nezu smiled at Toshinori shook his head.  The three heroes walked back through the warehouse.  The entire time had taken only about an hour.  It had felt longer. 

 

“Ah, the two I was looking for,” Nezu ambled to sit next to Izuku and Shinsou on a wooden bench.  Both boys were alone in the room, lightly sweating from the previous workout.  Izuku was curling weights as he sat and Shinsou was drinking water and eyeing Izuku like his friend was crazy.  Shouta sympathized.

 

“You know,” Toshinori said slowly, “it does not fill me with confidence that Nezu knows these military forces.”

 

“The First Special Brigade?”  Shouta asked.

 

“Well,” Toshinori spoke as he watched Nezu with some trepidation, “the JSDF is accompanying at the behest of Section 9, Japanese counter-intelligence.  My agency has had a prior arrangement.”

 

Shouta turned to Toshinori, “You have worked with counter-intelligence?”

 

“Mostly terrorist prevention.  Most heroes in my agency do,” at Shouta’s incredulous look, “we don’t advertise it.”

 

Learn something new every day, Shouta thought, “Let’s check on the others.  Nezu has everything in hand here.”  Probably.

 

Nezu watched the heroes leave with a smile; it was always fun to keep the teachers a little worried.

 

“Midoriya-san, I have a few questions for you,” Nezu asked.

 

“About Rion, sir?” It was a question, but not entirely.

 

“Yes.”

 

Shinsou went to stand.

 

“Please stay,” Izuku requested, “I believe this will be about the cyberdeck records that the archival computers gathered from Rion.”

 

“Yes,” Nezu readily agreed, “I understand Hitoshi-san, you had the chance to view; along with the two submarine captains, plus the teachers, Mirio, and myself.”

 

“I chose not to,” Shinsou said tiredly, “Izuku suggested it, and after his reasoning, I agreed.  The view would predispose me to act towards Rion in a certain way and what Rion needs on his return is an unbiased meeting.  Izuku said the viewing would also keep me up at night with questions.  I don’t need that.”

 

 Nezu considered, “Valid.  How old is Rion?”  The genius principal looked at Izuku pointedly.

 

Izuku sighed, “I was trying to figure it out.  Even Rion is not sure.  You saw he was a clone, correct?”

 

Nezu agreed with a nod, gaze sharp.

 

“So somewhere between a year and a year and a half.  All of his memories are faked; some by the scientists, some by the god-machine.”

 

Shinsou turned, eyes wide, “Is that why he was like-?” An encompassing shrug.

 

Izuku nodded, “I learned that Rion does not lie.  He doesn’t always tell the truth, and he is inexperienced, so he sometimes repeats a lie he believes to be true.  You know, Shinsou that trope site?”

 

Shinsou’s eyes lit up with understanding, “Oh, you’re going to say he’s a fish out of temporal water.  Instead of the whole toddler thing.”  A look around, “Uh, he’s not here is he?”

 

Nezu softly laughed as Izuku shook his head amused, “I believe he’s aiding the Jokers right now.  Rion had thoughts about Dark Shadow.”

 

Nezu asked, “Then, Izuku do you know why he chose to side with the Steiner family rather than with the god-machine?  Both were manipulating him.”

 

Izuku pursed his lips before he said slowly, “I have a theory.  Rion has not spoken on this topic often.” 

A long pause as the two watched before Izuku continued, “There was a girl, Lillia.  The god-machine tried to kill her and Ash poisoned her.  I think she was the only one that spoke to him like a person.  Had any of the villains treated him like a person, even faked friendship, he might have swung that way.”

 

“It is fortunate that they did not,” Nezu said.  He looked to Shinsou, “I saw Ash had secured the world’s nuclear launch codes two hundred years ago.”

 

Shinsou’s eyes widened.

 

“Rion has been protective of you,” Nezu observed, “I believe that motivated his observation about Aizawa-sensei, yes?”

 

Izuku shook his head, “I don’t know, sir.  I do know that he does not dislike sensei; he was just disappointed at the rapid judgment sensei makes at times,” Izuku eyed the smiling principal, “however, he would have had to access to student records to know about the expulsions.”

 

“I gave him access,” Nezu said easily.

 

“What if Aizawa-sensei had died?” Shinsou asked, eyes wide.

 

Nezu shrugged, “I thought he would not kill Aizawa.  A curious gamble.”

 

Both boys swallowed, no wonder the teachers looked unsettled at times around Nezu.

 

“Two more questions.  Why did he not kill Katsuki Byakugo?  We would never know, correct?”

 

Shinsou turned to Izuku, expecting an answer.  Izuku said in a whisper, “I asked him that once.”

 

Both looked taken aback at the admission.   Katsuki had come much closer to obliteration than either had thought.

 

“Not like I wanted him killed,” Izuku continued, looking at his sneakers and thus missing the look of relief on their faces, not that either would blame the green-haired hero-in-training, “Rion said that Katsuki wants to be a hero.  Instead, he taught me to defend myself and be a hero; a model for my enemies.”

 

Nezu tilted his head.  Ha, that was not all altruism; a dark undercurrent of ‘this is what you failed to be’ was laced in the words and expression, Izuku might not even realize it.

 

“Last question, from the cyberdeck view, Rion did not have the power to do what he did at the USJ.  All Might said he was as strong as himself, but that is not true is it?”

 

Izuku shook his head.

 

“Can you tell me, then?  I will not tell the others,” Nezu told the reluctant boy.

 

Shinsou offered, “I can leave.”

 

“No,” immediate and obvious, “the Major asked the same question.”

 

Izuku looked down, thinking.  Nezu saw Shinsou start to speak and waved him silent.  There was a value to silence, the boy would learn that some questions would never need asked.  A few minutes later Izuku said, “You know about One for All, like a stockpile of power, grown through generations?”

 

Nezu cautiously nodded, his mind immediately made the connection.  Izuku verified it.

 

“After the attack that week, I was sad about Rion being caught.  But I was also tired.  To defend the USJ, I allowed Rion to use the stockpile in one go.  I can’t use it at a high enough level with damaging myself.  Rion, on his own, could never defeat All Might.”

Nezu sat back with a smile, pleased.  Of course, Rion could not.  Izuku would never let his power be used to attack his mentor.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Chapter Three, Deep Waters


	3. Deep Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and crew depart for a long swim.

**Chapter Three**

_One hour before Operation: Heist_

 

Izuku surveyed the room.  The curly haired boy watched as his fellow students settled down in a loose semi-circle, a few soldiers and the two submarine captains, plus the teachers and the Major and Chief.  No, not nerve-wracking at all.

 

“In one hour, we are going to board the submarines.  From here on out, we operate as cells: Aces, Jokers, Kings, Queens, Twos, Nines and Eights.  The Aces will be the tip of the spear in the facility once breached.”

 

A hologram, courtesy of Mei, sprang up.  It showed a large facility submerged in the Pacific along a seamounts lower rim; deep into the rock were extending tunnels and rooms.

 

“Once breached, there will be about five minutes that Rion said he can hold out.  I need the Queens to support the advance from outside while the Jokers and Jacks pull the heat off us.  While those two teams are loud and noisy, I want the Twos to coast undetected and set explosives at these key points,” Izuku caught Koji’s, Itsuka’s, and Juuzo’s eyes before continuing, “the three of you have a challenging and dangerous job.  Let others do the fighting; I want the facility to sink under to the bottom of the sea at your command.”

 

A dozen glowing points marked the route the students would have to traverse to destroy the facility.

 

“Understood,” Itsuka spoke crisply, she and her team had been trained by military demolitions over last few days.  The hard but professional training made her team efficient.  She felt leagues more confident than she had been.

 

“The Kings,” Izuku waved in the direction of the teachers, “will be roving to help whichever group needs support.  Eights and Nines are military sections and have their own authority and jobs.  Once we are clear of the facility, the submarines will fire a payload directly into the seamount.  Monoma, you look like you have a question?”

 

Monoma blushed lightly, “Sorry, I just thought how cool it would be if you had artillery support in the next civil war.”

 

A ripple of uneasy laughter and the teachers winced.  Aizawa swore he saw stars for a moment in Izuku’s eyes too.  Just, no.

 

Nezu spoke calmly, “I am with the Eights and will be on board the submarine _Lowcast_ ; while we have naval soldiers on board, if they are deployed then our mission has failed.”

 

Nervous looks were traded among the students.  Izuku smiled at the others with confidence that they could do this, “We’ve got this.  We’re only teenagers and are already in a classified military operation.  You are going to save someone and stop a villainy that has been staining our world for two hundred years.  Plus Ultra!”

 

The Major smiled as the group dispersed to grab their things, “Nice speech.”

 

Izuku blushed, his friend Shinsou shot him an amused look before joining the others.

 

“Can I help you, Major?”

 

“We have a route that will swing out but take longer.  It will avoid the seamount's eastern sensors, will Rion be able to hold out?”

 

Izuku nodded, “Yes, ma’am.  Rion’s voice has been showing strain, but he has indicated that he can hold out.  After the USJ, something happened to make the robotic surgeons pay more attention to him.  From what he has indicated the tests have become more invasive.  I don’t believe he will be able to help on the way out.”

 

The Major nodded, “You’ve earned my name, Motoko Kusanagi.  Keep it between us, but I’m pleased to have met you.”

 

The Major walked out. away from the nervous boy, to look down at the bear-mouse, “You were right, he’s a firebrand.”

 

Nezu smiled and waved a paw, “I have thought about your proposal.  Perhaps Rion would make a good instructor at Yuuie.  It’s worth thinking about and solves a few problems.”

 

Like the elephant-sized problem that no one wanted to let Rion wander unsupervised.  This mission was not entirely altruism either, the United Nations’ heroes were being bothersome and wished to encroach on their territory.  The government saw this as an opportunity to act against them discreetly.  No hero in the world wanted to stare down an angry Galerian.  Nezu would be very surprised if Izuku did not know of this.  A darker side of Deku, he mused.

 

Nezu watched the students board the _Lowcast_ ; the other submarine held troops and extra munitions.  If the mission went wrong, the _Highrunner_ was going to blow the entire seamount up.

 

The two submarines, Leviathan-class, slipped out into the Pacific sea.  They slid easily below the choppy waters.  A cleanup crew on ground sprang into action once the submarines were gone and the cleaner crew scrubbed every trace of their presence from the old factory.

 

Leviathan-class submarines were large assault vessels with crew quarters and an upper assault bay in place of missile tubes.  Armed with two aft tubes and six forward tubes, the vessel looked cramped from the inside but skillfully hid just how large they were.

 

“You look uncomfortable, Mirio,” All Might said, deflating to his skinny form in the shared cabin.

 

“Sorry, sir,” Mirio shrugged, the third year student found it odd to be in a vessel without windows, “It feels weird to be underwater.  I hadn’t expected to ever-“ he waved broadly, encompassing the situation.

 

“Understandable,” Aizawa said, “when we go out there to check on the students, we need to encourage them.  Perhaps you could work with the medical doctor.  I know that we’ll have at least Rion as a casualty.”

 

Mirio left, thankful to have a job.  All Might, now present as Toshinori, gave his fellow teacher a wry look of understanding, stress was always easier to deal with when a task needed to be done.

 

“What did you think of the plan?” Toshinori asked, referring to the detailed plan that Izuku and the Major had put together with input from Nezu.

 

“It’s insane,” Aizawa said blandly, “should fit the problem child well.  I don’t like that it assumes Rion can hold out for five minutes.  However, Midoriya said he could go faster if he must.”

 

Toshinori spoke slowly, thoughtful, “Rion was high-handed with speaking to Sir Nighteye, but he was right.  I can stay in my hero form longer, and I have been eating better.  In the virtual reality we saw, he acted as a weapon.  I’d like to see him have more than that.”

 

Aizawa stood with a sigh, “I’ll go check on the students, rest up.  We’ll need you as All Might at the assault.”

 

Aizawa wasn't sure about how he felt about Rion.  Well, the blond was a brat, sure, but was he more?  And if so, what? 

 

The students looked notably perkier after seeing Aizawa stop by.  The Jokers were playing strip poker, Tokoyami appeared to be winning, hard to outpokerface a bird’s beak.  Aizawa moved on hurriedly.  Some things he didn’t want to know about.

 

“Where is the problem child?” Aizawa asked with a sigh at seeing Monoma and Mezo recheck the team assault plans while Shinsou was counting gear bundles.

 

“Upstairs.  The bridge requested him to visit,” Shinsou said tiredly.  Problem child was an apt descriptor; the three thought as they looked at each other.  Izuku attracted more trouble than a shonen manga star.  

 

The students were supposed to stay off the bridge.  Unless asked to visit, Aizawa surmised.  Truthfully, Aizawa had not expected ever to visit a top-secret special operations bridge.  Even on this trip, unless there was trouble.

 

Two naval security soldiers guarded the door to the bridge ladder with small caliber carbines.  One saluted, “Sir, Captain L said you would be arriving.  You may enter.”

 

The bridge was more extensive than Aizawa had expected, a length of an oval with electronics and dim lights.  Izuku sat on a chair along the right; starboard, Aizawa corrected tiredly to himself, next to the captain.  Captain L was an older man with deep laugh lines and a grey beard.

 

“We have a problem,” the captain said, gesturing at the long-range sonar.  A small blip was just on the inside edge of the sweeps.

 

“Another ship?” Aizawa asked.

 

“Came out of the port north of us.  Not any of ours, either.”

 

Izuku was looking at a profile of naval assets in the area, “What about this ship?”

 

“The _Yamato_?  It will never catch them, it’s a powerful battleship though.”

 

An understatement.  The ship had been built and fitted with the best sensor suite in the oceans; the massive warship was cruising just south of their position.  Too far west to be of immediate help.

 

“If we divert here," Izuku tapped a point on the chart, "and correct later, we could lose only a few hours and dive right inside the _Yamato_ ’s range.  Could it sink the submarine if unfriendly?” Izuku asked, innocent to just how powerful the ship was.

 

“Helm take us up, as soon as we break water, get me the Admiral on the _Yamato_.”

 

“Aye, sir.”

 

The Leviathan rose like a mythical beast from the depths, water cascading down the tower as the upper hull surfaced.  The _Highrunner_ stayed deep below but changed course to follow it's sister.

 

“I have him, sir.”

 

“Captain,” the voice was grizzled, strong and sure, “do I want to know what you are doing?”

 

“No, sir,” Captain L said honestly, “We’ve been authorized by Section 9.”

 

“You have ops lead?”

 

“No, sir,” Captain L crooked a grin, “Introduce yourself to the Admiral.”

 

“I-izuku M-midoriya, sir,” the boy looked adorably timid and out of place.

 

“You sound like a kid,” the Admiral observed.

 

“He’s a bright fifteen.  I have his classmates, too,” the Captain winked at Izuku as they could hear the irritated annoyance in the sigh over the line.  Aizawa could sympathize with the Admiral.  Troublesome teenagers involved in everything.

 

“Fine, you’ll owe me drinks later.  What do you need?”

 

“We have a potential unfriendly.  They are tailing us, and we’re on a timetable.  We want to adjust course and have you intercept.”

 

“What mission code are you?”

 

“Black Nine,” Captain L said, knowing that he just doomed the submarine behind.  At that classification, the Yamato would bring guns up live.  Indeed, he could hear the faint whine of alarms behind the Admiral's voice.

 

“Done, smooth diving,” the Admiral dismissed.

 

There was a hurried chatter as a burst of navigation codes was sent to the modern battleship.  As the Leviathon slid down into the depths, it's screws whined at the quick course change.  On the surface, an unhappy Admiral was getting ready to bring destruction to the chasing submarine.

 

The _Yamato_ ’s engines churned water more rapidly as the mammoth ship changed course.  While it may have looked like an older battleship, it was a carefully crafted facade.  Four turrets of three rail-cannon were brought into armed status.  Crews sprang into action, rudely disturbed by the klaxons wailing.  The Admiral spoke just once.

 

“Moving to intercept.  This is not a drill.  All weapons live.”

 

As the Leviathan submarines raced to pass through depth charge range of the Yamato, Izuku was politely excused by the captain to prepare for his part.  Aizawa stayed, however.

 

“Captain, you could have made the decision.”

 

The Captain responded to the low toned observation, “Of course.  Yet, I wanted to see if he would confirm what I wanted.  That he will set the world afire to get the mission complete.  I don’t care about the rescued person’s identity.  I saw the virtual reality.  I care that the mission is focused and will be successful.  That boy will make the hard choices.  It's hard choices that make a leader.

 

“Do you think he doesn’t know that the _Yamato_ will force the submarine to the surface and if they do anything other than surrender without condition, the contact will be turned into a firestorm?”

 

Aizawa let a tired smile appear, “We call him a problem child.”

 

“We could use more problem children,” the Captain agreed.

 

Through the night, the submarines cut through the dark waters south and east while the _Yamato_ intercepted the contact.  Unknown to the Leviathans’ crews, depth charges did force the unknown submarine up to the surface.  Radio contact with them stalled as the unhappy crew tried to figure out a way to escape, the voice analysis identified the speaker as a target wanted in conjunction with terrorism by the League of Villains.  A triple salvo from the front rail-batteries turned the target into an explosion of superheated shrapnel, and the target was lost with all hands.

 

Izuku felt jittery as he personally met with the other teams in the crowded assault bay.  There were multiple underwater sleds, each with nervous and excited students holding rail edges.  Shinsou watched his friend with amused wonder, how the boy could have so much energy was amazing.

 

The Leviathan _Lowcast_ had risen to 600 feet for the assault.  The assault bay began filling with water slowly to pressurize the students.  The sleds were prepared, and the glow of lights on helmets and sled rails turned the dark bay into a sea of stars.

 

It was a shock to enter the water through the preprogrammed jets; simulators had nothing on the real thing.  The water was dark and cold leaked through the insulated suits.  Izuku hoped each team held together and the students focused on encouraging each other that it would not take long.  There were vents to the building, airlocks further inside for potential breeches.  Izuku had expected mines or other security present.  Instead, there was only a still quietness about the place.  There had been no contact with Rion either, though Mei had located a sole heat signature through a creative use of a torpedo packed with infrared gear given to her by the captain.

 

Izuku touched the metal and then drew upon One for All.  With a shriek of protesting metal, the heavy door gave way, and red lights began to strobe in the facility.

 

_Five minutes._

 

Dark Shadow ripped through a second vent, doing far more damage while the third was melted open with acid from Mina’s quirk.  The teachers followed Mina’s team, the Kings and Jacks together, the demolition Twos followed the Jokers into the facility.  The Queens deployed in a cramped and too small for comfort mini-submarine to go further down than the divers and connect to the extruding superstructure.

 

_Four minutes, fifty seconds._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My total nautical knowledge is from watching World of Warship replays hosted by the Mighty Jingles. I apologize to anyone for inaccuracies.
> 
> Next Chapter: Racing the Clock


	4. Racing the Clock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and friends show a glimpse of the heroes they will become.

**Chapter Four**

 

 

**Four minutes, fifty seconds.** _  
_

Izuku led his spear into the facility airlock down the corridor.  As soon as the water started pumping and the doors sealed to hold back the ocean, Izuku pried open the bulkhead’s door with an impressive display of strength. 

 

“Rion?”

 

There was only silence, Izuku frowned even as he and his friends moved through darkened corridors.  A lurching figure came around a corner, a brilliant beam of light scorched where Monoma had just been.  Izuku swept low in a sprint and caved its front panel in and the robot sparked and stood as silent broken wreckage. 

 

Izuku spoke, “We have a problem.  Rion is not answering at all.  I’m going to move ahead.  Continue as planned.”

 

_Shouta sighed, “We’re not ten seconds into the mission, and he’s already off script.  This situation, which occurs too often, All Might is why he’s a problem child.”_

_All Might gave a booming laugh that filled the darkened halls with the sound of pride and hope.  A tank-like robot was crushed as All Might slammed into it with a fist like a hydraulic bludgeon.  To the side, a turret failed to track Mirio and was instantly destroyed as the young man phased through it._

_Shouta just sighed again, disappointed at being the only sane person around._

**Four minutes, twenty seconds.**

 

Izuku dodged another robot.  The things were lurching bipedal machines with gun arms and strobing lights on a conical head.  They looked like rejects from a retro science fiction horror show.  Reports from the teams filtered in, his classmates were accomplishing their goals.  He worried that he was leaving his team behind with every second, not even bothering to destroy the robots if it would take time.  There still had been no contact with Rion; not a good sign.

 

_Dark Shadow ripped apart a protruding gun turret from the ceiling with a tortured whine of stressed metal.  Shihai’s darkness quirk was aiding the entity along with the naturally dark winding passages.  Further down, the staccato sound of projectile gunfire echoed, turned aside by the shadowy entity.  The giant bird-like creature screeched in a challenge before sliding ahead, followed shortly by Sen whose twisting quirk enabled him to avoid the ricochet of a bullet._

 

**Four minutes.**

 

The elevator was offline; Izuku visualized the longspur, a forty-five-degree spur that ran up into the mountainside to the antechamber that held Rion.

 

“Queens?  Do you still have a read on the mark?”

 

Hatsume’s voice answered immediately, tinny from the small speaker, “Yes.  There is electronic chatter about ending his insubordination with brain death.”

 

Izuku said a very bad word to himself as he leaped up through the roof of the elevator and started to run up the shaft, he could not risk breaking any bones by going higher than twenty percent of One for All.  Green streaking around his body as he raced along the long passage.

 

_Aboard the small submarine under the assault, Momo watched the little-colored dots that were electronic representations of the students and instructors.  Each group had a single color; gold for the Kings where the teachers had paused to draw fire away from the Twos demolition efforts.  She heard Kyoka behind her give quiet encouragement to the Twos that needed to pick up the pace.  The green dots had split, and three were hurrying towards the antechamber, pausing here and there at presumable resistance; the fourth green dot was moving faster than any human she’d ever seen, racing for the antechamber.  There was a sort of security path in his way, and she hoped he would be alright.  At some point, she was going to have a small panic attack at the thought had she not decided to play villains with Izuku in the class civil war; she wouldn’t be assaulting a secret military base.  She still hadn’t decided if this was a good thing or not._

 

**Three minutes, thirty seconds.**

 

The doors at the security block were heavily guarded by what looked like a tracked tank.  The door behind sealed shut.  The tank had a gatling gun shielded in steel and a strobing light similar to the bipedal machines.  The tick metal resisted his punches, and the strobing light canopy broke apart easily enough but did not appear to impair the tank.  Izuku could move faster than the tank.

 

Unable to damage it, he got a hold on a side, ducked under the turret depression and heaved with a grunt.  The treads spun, abrading his fingers through the gloves, it tipped onto its side, then rolled upside down, like a turtle on it’s back. 

 

“Tank with gatling upside-down.  Careful when you come up.”

 

_Sinsou glared at the robot that Mezo had just ripped apart.  Then he glared at the next one approaching; well aware of robotic enemies, he had spent a long day learning to use assault rifles.  The kick of the triple action was minor, and the robot went down in sparks.  Izuku was at the antechamber door, and they had yet to get to the elevator._

_When this was all over, he was going to have a long talk with Izuku about following his plans.  His friend was going to be the death of him.  Shinsou ducked back from the corner as a blast of flame charred the hall’s floor.  Literally the death of him, perhaps._

 

**Two minutes, forty-five seconds.**

 

Izuku heaved the door apart and stepped into the first chamber.  A strange robotic figure stood in his way.

 

“Izuku Midoriya, is it?” The synthesized voice was cool and courteous, “I have collected a great deal of information about you.  I was surprised that Rion could synthesize his blood into One for All, a hidden vial I assume.  That is how he did with Mirai, you are aware?”

 

Beyond the figure, Rion lay confined in a device; sweat beaded his face as he strained to prevent the needle press from injecting him.  Two hydraulic arms were pulling at his thin frame, seeking to rip his arms off his body.

 

“Oh, did you notice?  One might say, I am going to disarm him,” a buzz reminiscent of electronic laughter. 

 

“Who are you?” Izuku circled with wary concern, the hydraulic arms needed to be destroyed.  Rion’s eyes were glassy and his ribs stuck out from a lack of nutrition.

 

“I thought that hunger pangs might break him since nothing else did.  I have tried everything, you know.  Rion’s mind is still strong through even the sensory deprivation; I thought a sexual assault might break him, it didn’t work.  Perhaps because we are robots here.”

 

Izuku looked at Rion taut expression of strain, “I allow it.”

 

Izuku felt Rion reach and grasp the stockpile; a glimmering shield rose up around the two boys as the entire chamber was lit with fire and heat and then water.

 

The buzzing laughter, “You allow it, what do you- what-this can’t be!  St-“

 

_Nezu listened to the chatter between students, focused on the green signal streaking to the top of the facility.  The mammalian principal had sympathy for Rion; he well knew how horrific medical experiments could be.  When the robotic figure began to monologue, he saw the captain approach with a grim set to his jaw._

_“That was a mistake,” Nezu said with closed eyes as the robotic villain bragging about trying to break Rion._

_The captain’s eyes widened as a shockwave broke from the side of the mountain.  Water rushed in with enough force to make the Leviathan submarines lurch._

_“Queens, Rion’s got us in an air pocket, we need directions to the sub.  Everyone else needs to get out; we just blew out the eastern side.”_

 

**Two minutes**

 

“Deku.  We have you located; you’re floating up.  At this point, if you can slow your ascent, it might be best to surface.”

 

“Actually, we’re losing the bubble.  If you can point us to the sub, I’ll get us there,” Izuku's voice sounded strained.

 

Momo took the controls and directed the tiny submersible towards Izuku, “We’re coming.  Hatsume, Kyoka get the others out.”

 

Momo slid the small submersible over Izuku who was floating slowly upwards in a bubble; she could see a glittering golden sphere that must be Rion’s shields.

 

“You’ll have to get inside.  It will be crowded.”

 

Kyoka leaned over and whispered, “Understatement.  We can barely fit.”

 

Izuku wrenched open the hatch, ignoring the pressure that would have prevented any normal person from opening the hatch.  The small airlock pumped out the water, Izuku stuck his head down from the opened door, “We’ll stay up here.  Get the others out.”

 

Izuku cradled Rion in a sitting position on the floor of the small quarter-receded hatch.  The thin boy was gasping for breath.  The blond was too light and frail.

 

_Mina was not pleased, “This wasn’t the plan!”_

_Instead of an organized retreat, the water was rushing in on the wrong side of the airlocks.  She had seen the plans, how did Izuku manage to explode out nearly thirty meters of rock.  She skidded around a corner; the hasty retreat was emphasized as deep rumbles sounded worryingly close.  The Kings had reported that the water was bottled at the elevator, but they weren’t sure how long.  The pink-skinned acid wielder nearly slammed into Kouda who was leading the demolition team back._

_“Now I know why Aizawa calls him a problem child.”_

_Nods all around.  She heaved a sigh of relief that Izuku got rescued.  They were close to the sleds.  Good thing too, as the floor was starting to swirl with water.  No, this was not a smooth operation._

 

**Minus two minutes, forty seconds**

 

Izuku waited with impatience as the water drained from the assault bay.  As soon as the lights came on, he rushed out with Rion, who was now breathing with small pauses that suggested each breath might be his last.  Halfway across the bay, past the worried faces of his friends, the medical team rushed in and got the thin blond on a stretcher, covered with a warm blanket and an oxygen mask fitted onto his face.

 

“Izuku, please come to the bridge with Aizawa,” Nezu’s voice commanded.

 

Izuku grabbed the nearest person, “Mirio.  Go with them, please.”

 

The green-haired boy felt harried as he strode to the bridge, followed by Aizawa who looked utterly exhausted.

 

On the bridge, there was a lot of activity.

 

“The base was destroyed; between the demolitions which were mostly set and the explosion in the antechamber.  Three large submarine contacts left a lower hanger.  They ID as Michelangelo City military,” Nezu said, “We’re not out of this yet.”

 

Izuku glared at the screen as the captain sounded the alarms for battle.

 

 

 

 


	5. A Shadow's Sliver of Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naval action, Tokoyami's heroic nature, Rion wakes

**Chapter Five**

 

Izuku was running through the corridor, Tokoyami behind him.  When Izuku had shown up, breathless and told the bird-head boy to follow, he had without complaint or question.

 

“Midoriya?’

 

Izuku started putting on a diving apparatus, handing a set to Tokoyami.  The two boys interrupted as the submarine rocked.

 

“Yes, sensei.  I have this.  Tokoyami and I will go out the airlock, I can hold us on, and Dark Shadow will deal with the submarines.  The captain is aiming for the Yamato?”

 

A lengthy pause, before Izuku responded, “It’s what I would have done.”

 

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish, “I guess you know the plan, yes?”

 

Tokoyami said drily, “This is less of a plan than a disaster.  How do you plan to open the hatch?  There are hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch.  Are you that strong?”

 

“No,” Izuku said simply, “but he is.”

 

“I am here!” The loud voice of All Might, already mostly suited up from earlier was jogging to them.  In such tight confines, the sheer size of the muscular Number One Hero was apparent, “Are you ready, boys?”

 

If not for the circumstances, Tokoyami would have been more awed at the sight of both strength wielders creaking open the hatch; it was a remarkable feat of strength to open the hatch at such a depth.  The pressure wave hit them with shocking ferocity as the door creaked open and Tokoyami surely would not have been able to avoid being wrenched from the submarine.  Instead, Izuku held him with a sure grip.

 

Dark Shadow appeared in the inky darkness; the shadow entity was not disoriented like the humans; it had neither fear of darkness, nor the disorientation of the lightless sea.  It did not have to breathe, and it could hear the pursuing submarines.  Almost idly, it flipped an oncoming torpedo to the side where it exploded near harmlessly.  The concussive force was enough the buffet the humans, but Izuku was holding onto a railing.  Oh, the Dark Shadow entity saw All Might also there to protect his human.  Spreading its wings, it dove deep, farther than it had ever gone in even the most strenuous of training to attack the submarines.

 

Inside, Mirio steadied the boy that instigated all of this.  Too thin, struggling for breath out of the oxygen mask.

 

“Can you brace him upright?  It might help with the breathing?”

 

Mirio gently lifted Rion at the doctor’s directions.

 

“It’s to be expected.  He has been on life support for two hundred years; his body has to learn how to breathe on its own.” 

 

Held by Mirio, the boy’s breathing smoothed out.  There was a whine that startled Mirio as the submarine’s deck rolled, dozens of items rattled in the tight confines.

 

“Evasive maneuvers,” the doctor identified the feel of the shaking deck, her face creased with a frown, “he needs a secure hospital.”

 

Tokoyami felt terror fraying around his senses.

 

_I got one; the other is damaged from a strike by our submarine._ Dark Shadow sent, reassuring his partner.  Izuku gripped Tokoyami’s arm, acting as a tether line.  The pull against the boy must have been unreal, Tokoyami’s arm hurt from the grip.  Was it getting lighter?

 

_Yes, we’re surfacing,_ Dark Shadow sent.  Tokoyami only felt the wild rush of water buffeting him as the submarine continued to charge forward in the darkness.  The torpedoes were no longer even close, detonating in a distant rear.  In such an environment, Dark Shadow was fully powered, strong enough to rival even All Might; _not quite,_ Dark Shadow sent with an amused thought.

 

_Izuku?_ The voice sounded tired, Izuku felt a wild elation as Rion’s voice touched his mind, _What’s wrong?_

 

“We’re outside, pursued by military drones.  They are very fast and heavily armed,” Izuku reported crisply into the helmet, knowing Aizawa on the bridge would hear.  He was worried about Tokoyami who was tense and alone in the darkness.

 

_I can’t really do much now._ The weary boy saw no point in mentioning that he was having trouble breathing, as it was, _I’ll go tell the nearest surface ship.  Hold on, change your grip on Tokoyami.  Give birdbeak a hug._

 

Izuku dragged Tokoyami to himself against the current, putting an arm around him and getting his feet up to brace against the rails.  Helmets touching to reduce distortion, Izuku said, “I’ve got you.” 

 

The green-haired user of One for All could hear the panicked breathing of his friend.

 

Admiral Okita had thought he had seen just about everything on the sea.  The sudden appearance of a translucent boy dressed only in rust red shorts, too thin and looking so tired, proved him wrong.  The Admiral waved the stunned surprise of the crew away, instantly he connected the odd glimpses of television footage from a villain attack on Yuuei high school with the earlier encounter of two black operation vessels.

 

“Rion Steiner?” The Admiral asked, sure of himself.

 

_I can not project long. The boy seemed to almost gasp for breath. My friends are running for safety, pursued by hostiles.  I hope that you can aid._

 

“Of course,” A motion to the surprised executive officer who relayed the commands.

 

_Izuku, All Might, and Tokoyami are clinging to the hull outside.  They are using their quirks to fend of the torpedoes.  The pursuing submarines are robotic military designs.  I can’t see or interfere with them._

 

Rion’s body flickered, _they are surfacing slowly to depressurize the three outside._

 

Admiral Okita nodded as the boy flickered out, “Say nothing of this to anyone.  If anyone asks, refer them to me.”

 

For the second time in as many days, the alarms of battle sounded.  Powerful generators charged up the rail-cannons.  Surprised naval crews leaped for action, startled into high readiness by the mournful wail of klaxons.

 

“No depth charges until the submarines surface,” the Admiral warned.

 

Rion felt oddly at peace.  The Galerian drifted through a grayish void, his mind overtaxed.  It was hard to believe he was finally free of the machines; he had not been joking about becoming Izuku’s sidekick, it was the least he could do for the teenager that had rescued him from the wicked medical cradle. 

 

Mirio grimaced, “Is that supposed to happen?”

 

The doctor barely looked, seeing the rescue boy had pissed himself, “Yes, he has been on machines that took care of all that.  He has to breathe on his own, swallow, eat, urinate; it is expected to have difficulties at first.”

 

She looked somewhat sadly at the provisional hero; the boy was too young to fully understand the horrors of what people would do to others for gain.

 

Dark Shadow receded.  The submarine surfaced in a geyser of water, engines driving it up nose first.  To the port, the sister ship also splashed up to the surface in a great cascading wave.  Izuku lost his footing and tumbled, no longer supported by the weight of water, the youth skidded down the rough deck, his suit tearing along the back.

 

“I have you, my boy!” All Might gripped the teenager in one hand and caught the rail.  Izuku had never let go of his classmate, All Might noted with pride. 

 

Izuku laughed quietly, “The worst injury I got was slipping on the deck.”    

 

All three heroes stared at the surfacing robot vessel.  It was sleek and had a forward gun turret that swiveled toward the fleeing ships.  Izuku tensed then yelped in surprise as the robot exploded into a cloud of shrapnel and flames. 

 

“The _Yamato_ is out of visual range still,” Aizawa said over the link, “Rion asked for help.”

 

Tokoyami blinked, “I didn’t even see the shots.”

 

The submarines were racing on the surface, the waves crested over the deck and threatened to throw the three off the side.  Holding onto the railings, neither All Might nor Izuku could make progress towards the hatch without risking being swept overboard.

 

Below and behind, the remaining submarine’s processors calculated, it could not follow the fleeing enemies unless it too surfaced, but something had destroyed the second hunter.  The first was wreckage falling to the sea floor from that inky shadow.  The computer program was enabled for risks; yet, while sophisticated, it was limited to a linear response.

 

The hunter rose and knifed after the targets, guns already firing.  The first shots went wide as the target rolled, spraying the deck of the submarine.  The second shots went out and stitched a line across the conning tower.  It recalibrated for the third set of shots; that small delay cost the submarine as the compact energy of the rail-cannons turned it into a fine cloud of metal and flame.

 

Immediately the Leviathon-class submarines throttled down to let the heroes on board.  None of the three commented on the fist-sized holes in the tower.  The airlock completely ruined. 

 

“Exciting,” the captain said with a grin as he noted everyone was alright, the bridge safely in the body of the submarine.  Aizawa gave the man the look such a comment deserved.

 

Izuku transferred with Rion over to the Yamato’s better medical facilities.  The teenage hero left Shinsou in charge and also told Momo to keep an eye on Tokoyami.

 

Admiral Okita looked at the thin boy reclined on the stretcher at a comfortable thirty-five degrees, still in an oxygen mask, his friend next to him.

 

“Sir,” Izuku acknowledged, “Thank you.”

 

“It’s my job.  We save people, all of my soldiers are heroes too.”

 

Izuku nodded, “I see that.”

 

The helicopter ride back was loud and had Izuku staring at his friend who was, in turn, monitored by a naval medic. 

 

Izuku’s back itched a few days later.  The boy was still at the secure hospital; his classmates had returned to classes.  The operation would be declassified in the next few weeks, though he had not told anyone.  Aizawa would remind everyone to not talk about it.

 

The teen had not realized that not returning to class when the rest of the students and teachers did would give his other friends a small heart attack.  When Todoroki confronted Shinsou, the insomniac general education student responded with a frown, “At the hospital.”

 

Followed by a ‘classified’ and ‘go away.’  Unsatisfied, Todoroki was left to worry about the boy.

 

“How are you?” The woman from earlier asked, Mokoto.  She had come into the waiting room to talk with the boy; amused that with the action over, Izuku was just a shy teenager.

 

Izuku couldn’t help but blush; she really was pretty.  Damn hormones.

 

“Fine.  I’m not leaving until he wakes up.”

 

“Ah, it will be soon.  Rion has a lot of recovery to get through; I’m glad you’re his friend.”

 

Izuku shrugged, Rion seemed to make several impressions, “Principal Nezu wants to talk to him too.”

 

Three days later, classes were in session when Izuku entered the classroom with a shy and nervous smile.  Any jubilation cut short as Rion followed; the blond wore new rust red shorts with a baggy white tee shirt that hid his still painfully thin frame.

 

“Aizawa-sensei,” Rion said flatly, “I misjudged you, my apologies.”

 

The words were stilted and formal.  Aizawa simply nodded, surprised at the statement.  Though he had given it thought, perhaps he had been too quick to judge some of the former students.

 

Rion nodded at a fellow blond, “Katsuki.  I did not misjudge you.”

 

Aizawa rubbed his temple as the explosive tempered teen asked with insolence, ”Why do I care what you think?”

 

“Because it was his recommendation you did not get into heroics,” All Might said, from where he was herding the latecomers into the classroom, “Though, I had my agency do some background work.  For all you students, agencies employ staff that does research, detective work, and more.  We all keep track of not just a present hero’s work, but also the background.”

 

Katsuki looked annoyed, angry, also contemplative.  If this was true, then he might have been wrong all this time.

 

“And who are you, blondie?” Katsuki asked as the boy was eyeing birdbrain with interest.

 

Rion looked back to him with a flat gaze, “I am Rion Steiner.  The Last Galerian.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next, Last Chapter: Nezu's Sadistic Plan Revealed


	6. Nezu's Sadistic Plan Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rion begins a new life with his friends, causes trouble for Class 2-A, and still manages to be a borderline psychotic jerk. Welcome to Izuku's new life.

**Chapter Six**

 

Izuku smiled as he walked next to Rion.  It was early, and the campus was still quiet.  A pleasant return to normality after the harrowing events of the base.  The green haired boy took the time to enjoy having his friend next to him in person; other than the evenings in the dorms, Rion was mostly at either counseling with Nezu or at the hospital building his strength.

 

“You look excited,” Rion observed.

 

“It’s the first day of the second year.  Midnight might be our homeroom instructor, she was for class 2-A last year.”

 

Rion tilted his head to the side, “Is that what you want?”

 

“I’ll be happy with any hero,” Izuku said happily, “You’ve been meeting with Nezu, has he told you anything?”

 

“A few things,” Rion said, “I will be joining you on your internship.”

 

“I can’t believe you are still planning to be my sidekick!” Izuku flailed his arms out, “You more powerful.”

 

Rion smiled, “In two years.  I think we’ll make a great team.  Nezu has been helping me with new ways to use my abilities.”

 

“That sort of frightens me,” Izuku deadpanned.

 

“He had a cool idea for my telepathy.  Apparently, I can place small subliminal commands,” Rion said, “Nezu has convinced me that I can be subtle rather than use raw power.”

 

“uh, okay,” Izuku looked sideways at him; from what he had seen, that did not seem Rion’s style.

 

“You are going to the bookstore?”

 

“Yes.  Our teacher will have left the textbooks for Communication and Legal Philosophy.  That is for the homeroom.  At least it was last year.”

 

“Mmm.  You might add the class on Foundation Rescue.”

 

Izuku looked surprised, ”Oh.  You know who is our teacher?”

 

 “You’ll find out at the bookstore.  I have to meet with Shouta this morning.”

 

Izuku let the familiarity of the first name go, it wasn’t correct, but it also was not worth an argument.

 

“Rion, we still meeting at the pool?”

 

“After school?  Yes.  I want to learn to swim.  It was frightening drifting in the dark water without any control,” Rion said, “Besides, I like to learn.  I invited Fumikage and Dark Shadow, I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

 

“Did you want me to invite others?  We could make it fun.”

Rion shrugged, “Whatever you believe is best.”

 

An hour after the conversation, the class’ students excitedly waited for the teacher.  Well, most of the present people; Izuku and Shinsou looked shell-shocked, and Iida was mystified.  They turned as the door opened and Rion entered; they had all met with the boy now and knew that Izuku and friends rescued him from somewhere; though the details were classified.

 

Rion gave Kaminari, who was closest to the door, a stack of papers.

 

Kaminari took one wide-eyed, before passing the stack to the next person.  Izuku knew what was on the syllabus.  Class 2-A Heroics, Instructor Rion Steiner.

 

Rion leaned on the desk in front of the classroom, “Well met.  As you may have noticed, I will be teaching three of your classes; Midnight is the opposite of me.  To reassure you, I promised Nezu I wouldn’t kill anyone in the first month.”

 

No one was reassured.

 

“Communication will explore reassuring people in the field.  Also, there will be an emphasis on teamwork.  Legal Philosophy will look at laws and the reasoning behind them, as heroes you will need to understand the reason for laws and you will be expected to advocate for their implementation and replacement.  Foundation Rescue will focus on reassuring people and maintaining control in crowded environments.

 

“If you have difficulty, you should come to see the other teachers or me.”

 

Iida raised his hand, “Sir, are you a hero?”

 

“No.”

 

“And you are younger than us?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Bakugo didn’t bother raising his hand, “Then you aren’t qualified.  I can easily beat you in a fight.”

 

“That is rude,” Iida said.

 

Rion touched his left pinky to his mouth, “Fortunately, I don’t care what you think.”

 

A smile crossed his face, “I recommend you get the books early, you have an assessment on Friday.”

 

Izuku knew that smile; it meant Rion did something.  The holder of One for All exchanged a meaningful look with Shinsou, who recognized the expression as something unpleasant.

 

Meeting with Thirteen for the second-year quirk assessment after the initial class, it became apparent as Bakugo could not use his quirk.  Disbelief on several faces as the formerly explosive boy’s hands refused to spark.  Izuku thought back to his conversation earlier, did Rion use telepathy to compel the boy’s quirk inert?  That was fascinating.  Thirteen seemed both perturbed and impressed.

 

Bakugo slammed the door open striding in during the third period.

 

“You! What did you do?” The boy shouted, only with more profane language.

 

“I turned off your quirk.”

 

Bakugo was livid with rage, “How?  Turn it back on!”

 

“Why should I?” Rion looked up from the syllabus for Thirteen’s class, where he was annotating the other teacher’s work plan to incorporate into his teaching, “Did you not say you would defeat me?”

 

Shinsou raised his hand, “Uh, when does it wear off?”

 

“Wear off?” Rion echoed, “Until I turn it on, Katsuki is functionally quirkless.  So, for communication this class, let us address how we might get our way.  Temper-tantrums are not the correct way.”

 

As they discussed various argument constructions, Rion placed certain words on the board.  With some amusement, he noted that not everyone would write the terms down.  Interesting.

 

“How was your first day?” Toshinori asked Rion in the staff room, Nezu was also present.

 

“Fine,” Rion shrugged, “Katsuki challenged me to a fight.”

 

“Well, he is quite powerful,” Ectoplasm said from the side.

 

“Not without his quirk,” Rion set the papers down, “Is Thirteen about?  I would like to ask him a few questions about his class.”

 

Turning he saw several people staring at him.  Toshinori coughed, “You removed his quirk?”

 

Rion shrugged, “Yes, turned it off to be precise.”

 

“When did you turn it back on?” Ectoplasm asked, “It can be unsettling to lose your quirk, I’d imagine.”

 

“I didn’t,” Rion said, “He has to convince me he should be a hero, then he gets his quirk back.”

 

Toshinori said cautiously, “I wasn’t aware you could turn off quirks.”

 

“It was Nezu’s idea.  I was unaware of it myself,” turning to the Principal, “Thank you.”

 

“Happy to help,” the principal’s grin was faintly sadistic, “You are learning to swim today?”

 

“Yes.  I invited Fumikage since he has shown signs of trauma from the last run outside the submarine.”

 

The pool was outside and several curious people in attendance.  Rion stepped out onto the deck in his black swim shorts, still too thin.  Slight as a twig, not at all muscular, and next to Izuku; the green haired boy was built like a brick wall, defined chest and abs, and looked like he could easily overpower the blond.  

 

It was deceptive.

 

Iida stopped by Rion’s room with Yaoyorozu that evening.

 

“May I help you?” Rion gestured for them to sit on the couch.  The boy was sitting at the table on the floor, grading papers from the test.  Facing the students, Rion pulled a sheet of blank paper over to hide the grades. 

 

“I wanted to ask you if you needed anything,” Iida said, “I owe Midoriya, and you are his friend.  As class President, I wanted to help you with the adjustment, even if you are a teacher.  Yaoyorozu is Vice President and feels the same way.  I know she met you earlier on your mission, she is a good judge of character, and she likes you.”

 

It was clear that the glasses wearing boy was awkward in dealing with a boy he perceived as younger, equally obvious was that he was earnest.

 

“Thank you.  If this is about Stain, don’t worry.  Izuku does not hold against it you; he’s physically incapable of holding grudges.”

 

Iida swallowed nervously, “Uh, we’re not supposed to talk about that, sir.”

 

“Would you call me Momo instead?” The long-haired girl with the creation quirk asked.

 

“As you wish, Momo,” Rion said, “Thank you.  You both seem quite studious and take this heroic thing seriously.”

 

Momo asked, “Are you going to get your provisional license?”

 

“I have a license with the JDF,” Rion said, stunning both students, the Japanese Defense Force was a military license, not a heroic license, “That is not a secret.”

 

Iida asked cautiously, “And Bakugo?  When will you give him his quirk back?”  The sixteen-year-old frowned, “He’s rude, but that’s just the way he is.”

 

“Is it?” Rion tapped the table, thoughtful, “You read the essay by Tama’riel?”

 

“Yes,” Iida said, “The main idea, with examples, was that heroes save people.”

 

“Yes, so tell me; when has Bakugo acted selflessly to save someone?”

 

Rion held up his hand, “You shouldn’t answer now, but if you want to help him, then his need for recognition has to change.”

 

A smile that both students recognized as a subtle action.  Everyone knew by now that he was of genius level intelligence, what they did not know is that he had implanted memories to act as a foundation for the formidable intellect.  They were not quite sure how he was teaching at fourteen, but both went along with it. 

 

On Monday, when the students walked in, they saw an 83 on the board.  Izuku had a disheartening feel in the pit of his stomach; like some of the others, he was ahead on the assigned reading.  Teamwork was vital, in the latest articles.

 

Kaminari asked with a raised hand, “Did you grade our tests?”

 

Rion pointed, “Graded, averaged.  Those of you who did poorly, congratulations on pulling the rest down; those who did well, perhaps you should help the others study.”

 

“This is bull!  My grade is affected by these extras?”

 

“Exactly.  In all six classes.  Present Mic, Midnight, and Thirteen have agreed to score you this way.  Think of it as practice for your agency.”

 

Byakugo crossed his arms, “I won’t hire losers at my agency.”

 

Rion took note of the stricken faces in the class; Kaminari, Ashido, Kirishima. 

 

“You aren’t going to have an agency unless you can earn your quirk back,” Rion pointed out, “As for now, starting today, I will be meeting with each of you individually to help you set goals and accomplish them.  Momo, I’ll see you briefly after class as the first.”

 

She was startled, and then she smiled. Pleased that he was taking the job seriously; he was an effective teacher with discussion-based classes rather than lectures.

 

The meeting went well; the teenager was goal oriented and intelligent with a plan to create her own agency, there was a slight hiccup when she mentioned she was planning to invite Midoriya to join her agency until he could gather the funds to start his own agency.  Creating a staffed agency was reasonably expensive.

 

“I have addressed Midoriya’s agency funding problem,” Rion said, “Yuuei pays well; perhaps you would first like management practice at an agency?  An internship, perhaps?”

 

“Certainly, but what agency would give me management experience?”

 

“The Deku, You Can Do It Agency.”

 

“Wait, Deku has an agency?” Momo was shocked.

 

“He doesn’t know it yet; I plan to surprise him.  You’ll have to interview with him.  Do you mind?  Then with experience, I think we can swing a business plan past the banks to start your own agency.  I know your family is wealthy, but optics suggest that you distance yourself from the appearance of wealth to look at competence.”

 

Momo considered, “Thank you, I will consider it.”

 

Rion’s cell phone beeped and the boy sighed after looking at the message, “I have to go get screeched at.”

 

“I don’t know who you are,” the woman screeched with profanity interspersed as Rion slouched in a seat in Nezu’s office, “but you will give my son’s quirk back immediately.  If you do not, I will go to the press and-“

 

Her mouth moved, but she said nothing, panicked eyes wide.

 

“First, Ms. Bakugo, I am Rion Steiner.  Second, he has to earn his quirk back; third, you may go to press, but if you do so; you will find that certain facts will come to light like how he tried to bully kids into suicide and how several students were too scared to apply to Yuuei because of his threats.”

 

Her mouth moved to deny them.

 

“That was the findings of the All Might Hero Agency,” Rion said from the uncomfortable plush chair; perhaps they will believe you over All Might.  I wouldn’t care to take that bet.  Katsuki can earn his quirk back, same as you can earn your voice.”

 

Her eyes widened at his statement.  Did this stupid boy mean-?

 

“I don’t accept your profanity, threats, or tone.  Perhaps both of you should go to anger management classes.  I’m well aware that you are partially to blame for Katsuki’s current attitude, you were the one who put it in his head to not be friends with Izuku; since he was a quirkless loser.”

 

Rion smiled, it did not reach those cold steel blue eyes, “Before you ask, I know because I am a telepath.”

 

Fear quickly replaced the panic.  She kept this a secret even from her own son.  She had no way of knowing that Rion never rifled her mind and instead had reasoned her logic from the glimpses he’d seen at the household when he visited.  There had been advantages to being a ghost.  What she didn’t know could hurt her.

 

Nezu watched the woman go, “That went better than I expected, Rion.  You are good at the compulsions.  I assume it is a suggestion that she can’t speak?”

 

“Yes, sir.” Nezu was the only one that rated high enough to get a ‘sir’ from the Galerian, “I keep hoping that Bakugo’s attitude will improve.”

 

“Perhaps Aizawa has insight?”

 

Rion nodded, “If there are more complaints, let me know.  I will… address them.”

 

“Of course,” the principal could appreciate good blackmail.

 

“Just one thing, I saw that paperwork from your bank has come through.  I assume you want this to be secret?”

 

Rion smiled, this time genuine, nodded.

 

At the dorm, Katsuki waited outside for Rion, “I don’t like you.  However, I know my old hag came to threaten you and probably cussed you out.  I didn’t tell her to do so.”

 

“Thank you,” Rion said, “You might consider speaking with Aizawa-sensei to aid getting your quirk back.  As for your mother, I turned off her voice.”

 

Rion brushed past his widened eyes.

 

“Sensei,” Katsuki greeted his former teacher as he entered the classroom after the first years left, “Rion said yesterday, you could get my quirk back.”

 

Aizawa groaned and rested his head on his hand, “I doubt that is what he said.  Rather, it was probably along the line of I know how you can get your quirk back.”

 

Katsuki frowned.  That… was true.  Hands in his pockets, he sat uncomfortably in front of the desk.

 

“What do heroes do?”

 

“They win,” Katsuki said promptly.

 

“Is that what you answered on Rion’s test last week?”

 

“… save people. But that’s not the hero I’m going to be.  I’m always going to win.”

 

Aizawa groaned again, louder this time.  This kid was not logical.

 

“Katsuki, you will not in a century be as strong as Rion.  Some of your classmates can match you in strength.  There are villains out there stronger than you.  Winning by force will sometimes be impossible.  You are not always going to win, and you are not winning now.  You’re a bright kid, you have potential, but you cannot continue with this attitude and hope to succeed.

 

“You know that All Might investigated several hero students?”

 

Katsuki toed the ground, guilty and annoyed.  He wanted to be outraged, but he’d always be a fan of All Might, “I know he had his agency investigate me.”

 

“It’s not always about just you,” Aizawa said, eyeing the arrogant boy.  While he didn’t agree with Rion tactics, he had to admit this inability of Byakugo to move forward was a real problem.  Rion was either going to fix the attitude or break him.  It could go either way.

 

“Think about your middle school.  Was your attitude heroic?”

 

Katsuki grimaced, “If those losers weren’t strong enough to enter, they wouldn’t have been good heroes.”

 

Not an answer.  Or… perhaps an admission.

 

Aizawa said conversationally, “Are you aware that Midoriya nearly committed suicide due to the bullying in middle school?  Rion stopped him from, I believe his quote, ‘taking a swan dive.’”

 

Katsuki paled dramatically; he’d never thought the worthless idiot would follow through.

 

“The hope you have that Rion will return your quirk at some point without you changing is stupid.  Rion is a telepath; he knows when you are lying.  Even to yourself.”

 

Katsuki glared at his scuffed sneaker, “Who is this guy anyway?  Calls himself a Galerian.  So what?”

 

“Perhaps you should look it up in the library.  It’s not a secret anymore.”  Though, he could do without the cult that had organized around the boy.  Mostly because Rion was not amused and the cultists were toeing destruction.

 

“Quirks were given by a super-computer, along with a curse.  The more powerful the quirk, the more villainous the user acts.  Sufficient will can counteract the curse.  Do you have the will?”  Aizawa looked at his former student with some sympathy, “Are you willing to change?”

 

Elsewhere, at the same time as Katsuki’s discussion, Izuku had confronted his friend.

 

“Rion, it … isn’t right that you keep Bakugo’s quirk from him.”

 

Rion sighed, the two were watching a friendly pickup basketball game of Class 1-A.

 

“Izuku, if he challenged me for real, what would happen?”

 

“You’d win,” Izuku said.

 

“I’d kill him,” Rion corrected, “I’m not taking it out on him to be mean.  During the test with you, didn’t he fight All Might directly.”

 

“Yes,” Izuku sighed, “That was really stupid of him.”

 

“Precisely.  If All Might was a villain?”

 

“He’d die, I guess.”

 

“Or worse,” Rion agreed, and he knew worse.

 

After the talk with Aizawa, who he respected at least, he went to the library.  While he preferred action over research, he was far from stupid.  It took a little while before he found a book that gave an overview of Rion.  Katsuki sat down to write the salient points:

 

Galerian, slave to Dorothy, a computer with a  god-complex.

Rion killed his siblings to prevent humanity’s extermination.

Quirks were designed by the god-machine.

Powerful quirks were more likely to be evil.

Dorothy believed humanity would rip itself apart with quirks.

Speculation that Rion at full power was nearly as strong as All Might.

Speculation that Rion was immune to quirks.

Rion was over two centuries in age.

Rion had been tortured.  For decades.   

 

Katsuki looked up from the book, startled to note that not only had the shadows grown long, but Principal Nezu was at his table, reading a book on Michaelangelo City.

 

“Good to see such studious people,” Nezu said, glancing over the notes, “Oh, let me correct a few things. Humanity has ripped itself apart.  We would likely be exploring the stars if not for quirks.  A lasting curse on humanity.

 

“Powerful quirks are more likely to be abused, certainly.  There are no evil quirks, just evil people,” Nezu smiled, it was unsettling, “All Might is stronger, though Rion has devised a way with teamwork to overmatch the hero.  Though as of late, he’s been aiding the All Might agency.”

 

Katsuki eyed the list, “I don’t know what to do.”

 

The boy sounded despondent.  Having grown to believe his quirk was the best, he was the strongest of all he’d known; faced with insurmountable odds was clearly beyond him.

 

“You know,” Nezu said thoughtfully, “I taught Rion that he could turn off quirks.  Do you know what the first thing he did was?”

 

“Turn off my quirk,” Katsuki said.

 

“Apologize to Aizawa,” Nezu corrected, “I think he wants you to try and be better.  As for your mother, she will have to be honest with you and Izuku.”

 

It took two more weeks, almost a month of being quirkless before Bakugo surprised everyone with his active quirk.  It was a relief to many who thought that maybe he wasn’t going to his quirk.

 

“Internships are coming up,” Rion said with a smile.  Immediately everyone was on edge.

 

“Shouto, you’ve been asked for by All Might’s Hero Agency.  Katsuki, you’ve been chosen by the Wild Wild Pussycats.  I have accepted on your behalf.”

 

Shouto raised his hand, “I will take an internship with Endeavor, my father-“

 

“-is currently recovering in the Hosu hospital,” Rion finished to the wide-eyed boy.  He took exception to my arrangement; I took exception to his arrogance.  Don’t worry I didn’t take his quirk away.  I did shatter his legs and broke a few ribs."

 

Shouto put his hand down.  Kirishima whistled, “You are stronger than Endeavor?”

 

“Vastly.”

 

“Izuku, you’ve also been chosen; I trust you won’t be stubborn?”

 

“…no,” Izuku thought he was safe, but he could never be quite sure.  Rion was difficult that way, “What agency?”

 

“The Deku, You Can Do It, Agency.”

 

The class looked at their flushed classmate’s face.  Did he really have an agency in his second year?

 

“I have an agency?” Izuku was shocked, “Wait, I don’t have an agency!”

 

“It’s a gift.  For rescuing me.”

 

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I may eventually do a side story to this one; I would like to address the characters left behind from the mission; also give Ms. Bakugoa chance to get her voice back.


End file.
